Chess Game
by miss-blanche
Summary: Life is a chess game and I don't show compassion when I play. Bellatrix's reactions to Sirius' ever worrying ideas on life.


**A/N Well this is an idea I've had for all of two hours. This is a dialogue focused piece in my opinion because tonight I've had a case of writers block and haven't been able to write much else. :)**

* * *

**Chess Game**

"Why are muggles so bad?"

Bella looked up sharply. Having just killed his queen with her knight she was expecting a sullen look, not a question about pathetic creatures like muggles.

"Because they're stupid aren't they? Castle to B6." She said bossily, a smile tugging at her lips as Sirius' pawn tumbled off the chess board.

"What's stupid about them?" Sirius asked. He looked agitated, not with the chess game he was currently losing, but with an idea. He pointed half heartedly at a square and his bishop sidled to it obediently.

"Cos they can't do magic. Only pure bloods like us can do it properly."

"But that doesn't mean they're stupid."

Bella looked up, now distracted. "How would you know?"

He shrugged. To Bella it looked as if was trying to pretend the conversation was only casual, and that the topic had no real importance. Quite agreeing with this she decided to change the subject, "Did you really make that troll leg chase Regulas?"

His frown disappeared for a moment and he said with a grin, "It's an umbrella stand. And it was an accident."

"Sure." She said, taking another of his pieces.

"I'm really bad at this." He muttered, frowning at the chess board, "How come you're so good?"

With a smile, she took yet another of his pieces and said, "Daddy says it's because I don't show any compassion."

* * *

"My friends would alienate me if they knew I was talking to you…" 

"Well stop talking to me then. James is waiting in the hall anyway."

"I'm worried about you. Aunty was furious that you didn't go home at Christmas."

"Good. Hope she was. Old bat."

"Stop talking like that!" She snapped squinting against the sunlight. They were in the court yard; it was morning break and students were casually milling about enjoying the last of the summer, "Those mudbloods might be able to talk to their parents like trolls but you-."

"Shut your mouth!" Sirius snapped angrily. He was looking left to right as if he didn't want to be seen speaking with her.

"No I will not." Bella said fiercely, "If you think for a minute that I haven't noticed that you're a completely different person then you're wrong."

"What's so wrong with me being a completely different person?" Sirius demanded.

"Everything!" She exclaimed, "You're associating yourself with _them!_"

"Them? Them? Who are they Bellatrix? They don't look any different to you or me!"

"They are though! They are different! They don't deserve to be here Sirius!"

"You're a parrot." He said coldly looking at her with disdain, "You copy everything your parents say."

"And you're a rebel." She replied just as coldly, "All you're doing is taking in what your are parents saying and spitting out the opposite."

He turned away from her angrily, signaling the end of the conversation. She ignored this and followed him.

"You know what they say about that Lupin boy? He's a half breed you know. That's the kind of people you're associating yourself with, half breeds!"

He paid her no heed and continued to walk.

"And Frank Longbottom? Well he's…"

"Fuck off Bella." He said shortly before turning into the corridor and walking away.

* * *

"Take it back." 

"No."

"Yes."

"It's for your own good."

"It's got nothing to do with me!" He roared, "It's Remus' life you're messing with, not mine."

"It wasn't only me," She said defensively, "It was Snape too."

"Oh I'm sure you and Snivelus had it all planned."

"Why is it like this Sirius? Why do you want to keep fighting?"

"Because you do!" He said sharply, "Because _you_ want to keep fighting! If you'd just see that he's twice the person Snape is…"

"If you'd just see that he's only an eighth of the person you are." She replied just as stubbornly.

They glared at each other. Sirius could hear faint footsteps in the corridor and knew they'd be sprung for being out of bed after hours. Even fifth years weren't allowed out of bed at eleven thirty.

"So you won't stop spreading nasty rumours until I say sorry to my mother and disassociate myself from all my friends?"

"I'd hardly call it a rumour Sirius. Everybody knows Lupin is a good for nothing half-."

"Don't you say it." He said, his voice icy, " Don't you dare say it."

"Or what?" She said bitingly, "You're going to jinx me every time I walk past you? Turn my hair green? Grow up Sirius. I'm not going to stop doing anything until _you_ stop this ridiculous nonsense."

"Well I'm never going to change." He snapped, "You'll give up eventually."

"Will I?"

"Yes."

"We'll see. I'm more stubborn that you think."

"Well then I guess we'll just be stuck in stalemate forever."

With that he opened up the door of the broom cupboard forcefully and slammed it behind him just as hard.

A silent tear slid down her face as she said to the wall opposite her; "No we won't."

* * *

"I'm not letting you in." 

"I'm not asking for your compassion."

"What are you asking for then?"

"Your companionship. I don't want to do this alone."

"Do what?"

"This." He issued wildly around him, "Leaving."

"I'm not leaving Sirius." She said coldly.

"This is wrong!" He exclaimed grabbing her by the front of the robes, "You know it! I know you do."

She always thought there was a mad man inside him somewhere. A craziness that only ever surfaced in his devilish grin and wild pranks. But now… Now, all the insanity he possessed, all of it, was above the surface. She could see it etched in every feature of his attractive face, in the way he was gesturing wildly, in the way he was standing on her doorstep in the pouring rain…

"It's not worth it." She said.

"Yes it is!" He exclaimed, "It is worth it! To be free to say what you think instead of what _they_ think."

"I think what they think!" She snapped, "I always have."

"You don't."

"I do."

"You don't."

Trapped in stalemate again, she thought. Because she knew they could stand in the rain for hours arguing like this.

"Life's not a chess game." Sirius said, "It's not black and white."

She shook her head biting back angry tears, "But it is Sirius. It is a chess game. It is black and white. You're wrong."

"Please…" He was pleading now, "I am asking for compassion. I'm asking that you will compassionately grant me this wish."

She took a deep breath.

"Life is a chess game." She said trying to make her tone harsh, "And I don't show compassion when I play."

She closed the door in his face.

* * *

Duelling him was like playing chess. She would send a curse his way, and he would send one back. Then she would send one back in return to his return and he would send one back in return to her return. 

For a moment it felt like they were teenagers again. Except now they weren't using conversation to battle.

She was caught off guard as one of his curses hit her squarely in the chest. As she fell she caught a glimpse of his face; triumphant. He had a chance to overpower her, and they both knew it.

He raised his wand, but despite the triumph and mirth in his eyes, she saw his hesitance. Saw it flicker into his eyes.

She drew her wand, and she saw the green light shoot from it before she even realized she'd said anything.

It hit him in slow motion. She waited for what seemed like a lifetime for him to fall.

It happened gradually; the dawning expression on his face, the slight arching of his back, his slight stumble…

And then within a second, he was gone.

_Life is a chess game, and I don't show compassion when I play._

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